It’s always thrilling when we can welcome new faculty members. They inject novel concepts, vibrant enthusiasm, and distinct viewpoints into the College of the Redwoods community. This autumn, we’ll be incorporating six additional full-time educators with extensive backgrounds and specialized knowledge spanning fields such as music, biology, Spanish, agriculture, and nursing.
I'm excited to introduce this exceptionally gifted group of new faculty members at CR. Their arrival underscores our dedication to achieving academic brilliance and equipping students with the skills needed for both transferring to higher education institutions and entering the job market effectively.
Get acquainted with our outstanding new CR faculty members:
Dr. Matthew Hough, who specializes in music, is both a composer and a performing artist with expertise in music theory. With over fourteen years of teaching at colleges and universities under his belt, he earned his doctorate from the prestigious Manhattan School of Music located in New York City. Dr. Hough boasts a versatile career as an accomplished guitarist, singer, and keyboardist. Additionally, he has led musical groups professionally and within academic settings. His scholarly contributions extend to multiple publications, along with various recording projects; notably, his solo work "Solos" was released in 2022.
Alissa Sarvinski, who specializes in agriculture, presently serves at Eureka High School as the head of the agricultural department and instructs an array of courses such as agricultural earth science, chemistry applied to agriscience, fisheries and aquaculture sciences, along with advanced honors agriscience. Born into a family-run organic dairy operation in Ferndale, Alissa remains actively involved through membership in both the Humboldt County Farm Bureau and the North Coast Growers Association. After graduating from Ferndale High School, she pursued higher education obtaining a Bachelor’s degree in Agribusiness from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo followed by earning a Master of Science in Agriculture from Chico State University.
Jaclyn Patmore, specializing in biology, is a CR alumnus who started her educational path at the college back in 2012 with an Associate of Arts degree focused on scientific inquiry. Later, she pursued further education, obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Zoology and then a Master of Science in Biology from Cal Poly Humboldt. With six years under her belt in classroom instruction and more than two decades in various professional roles—ranging from being a pharmacy technician to a certified nursing aide and wildlife technician—Patmore brings extensive practical knowledge into academia. At CR, she has instructed courses such as human anatomy, cadaver dissections, and introductory biology; additionally, during her time at Cal Poly Humboldt, she functioned as a graduate teaching assistant.
Angéles Torres Méndez (Spanish) comes with substantial teaching expertise gained at various educational institutions such as Irvine Valley College, Santiago Canyon College, Saddleback College, and UC Irvine. Her areas of specialization include Spanish classes from introductory levels up to advanced studies, particularly focusing on Spanish for heritage speakers. Known for fostering an inclusive environment centered around students' needs, she encourages learning among individuals from varied backgrounds. Dr. Torres Méndez earned her B.A. in Spanish from California State University Channel Islands, followed by an M.A. in Spanish and Latin American literature from Middlebury College. She completed her education with a Ph.D. in Spanish and Portuguese, emphasizing Latin America, also obtained from UC Irvine.
Tiffany Martell (in nursing studies at Del Norte Campus) is an alumnus of both Del Norte High School and College of the Redwoods. She initiated her career in nursing at CR, successfully finishing courses such as Certified Nurse Assistant, Licensed Vocational Nurse, and Registered Nurse. Possessing more than 13 years of extensive experience in various fields like emergency care, clinical teaching, and leadership positions, Tiffany joined CR as a clinical instructor since 2021. Concurrently, she works as an emergency room nurse at Sutter Coast Hospital, excelling particularly under pressure with teams. Currently, she aims higher through enrolling in the Master of Science program focused on Nursing Education offered by Chamberlain University. Among her credentials are certification as an Emergency Room Nurse along with qualifications in Basic Life Support, Advanced Life Support, and Trauma Nursing Core Course. Additionally, she holds memberships within prestigious organizations including Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing and The National League for Nursing.
Julie Przepiora (specializing in nursing science and clinical practice) boasts ten years of professional involvement in nursing within Humboldt County Behavioral Health and as part-time faculty at College of the Redwoods (CR). This role with CR’s RN and LVN programs has equipped her well for this full-time professorship. She excels particularly in clinical oversight where she supervises nursing students during their hands-on training sessions. Additionally, her background in teaching and developing curricula will prove invaluable to our nursing program. Julie's adeptness in teamwork, management, and interaction skills will significantly contribute to establishing a supportive and productive educational atmosphere for every student.
These newly joining educators will become part of a group of teachers who take great pleasure in enhancing each student’s life and bolstering the well-being and dynamism of the college community.
Dr. Keith Flamer serves as the president of the College of the Redwoods.